Jim and Peggy Trimble celebrate 40 years in business

WANAMAKER, Ind. – It feels as though time is standing still at Wanamaker Feed and Seed, where bags of feed are stacked on hardwood floors, and you can buy dog treats by the scoopful.

The owner, Jim Trimble, knows many of his customers by name. Small-town hospitality has not been forgotten, even though the once-rural town now is a densely populated suburb.

Trimble and his wife, Peggy, are celebrating 40 years in the business.

“Wanamaker has changed a lot, mostly because of residential buildings,” he said.

“We serviced a lot of hobby farmers and small farms. As those turned into subdivisions, the needs changed. A new set of opportunities and challenges came with that. It meant changing with the demographic.”

They began selling more cat and dog feed to accommodate families with pets. Many of the residents enjoy gardening, so the plant and seed side of the business began to expand.

Whether its roasted peanuts, light bulbs or work gloves — the Feed and Seed has it in stock.

“We still sell a fair amount of horse feed,” Trimble said. “We sell a lot of pet food, hardware, water softener salt, water bottles and a lot of miscellaneous things.

“The world is full of Amazons and Walmart stores. But the local movement is helping us — a lot of people have taken that to heart. But it’s a two-way street.

“We try really hard to be competitive. We don’t want to take their hard earned money just because we’re a small business. We want to earn that business.”

Wanamaker Feed and Seed is intertwined with the community, supporting little leagues and taking part in events such as the Christmas parade.

Trimble said that community support has been integral to his success.

“That’s what I really like about the town,” he said. “Even though it’s swallowed up by Indianapolis, and even though it has tons of new houses, it still keeps that small, hometown flavor.

“The support of the community is vital.”

Learn more about Wanamaker Feed and Seed at www.wanamakerfs.com.